The invention relates to execution of instructions for a computer of a first computer architecture on a computer of a second, different architecture.
Each instruction for execution by a computer is represented as a binary number stored in the computer""s memory. Each different architecture of computer represents instructions differently. For instance, when a given instruction, a given binary number, is executed by an IBM System/360 computer, an IBM System/38, an IBM AS/400, an IBM PC; and an IBM PowerPC, the five computers will typically perform five completely different, operations, even though all five are manufactured by the same company. This correspondence between the binary representation of a computer""s instructions and the actions taken by the computer in response is called the Instruction Set Architecture (ISA).
A program coded in the binary ISA for a particular computer family is often called simply xe2x80x9ca binary.xe2x80x9d Commercial software is typically distributed in binary form. The incompatibility noted in the previous paragraph means that programs distributed in binary form for one architecture generally do not run on computers of another. Accordingly, computer users are extremely reluctant to change from one architecture to another, and computer manufacturers are narrowly constrained in modifying their computer architectures.
A computer most naturally executes programs coded in its native ISA, the ISA of the architectural family for which the computer is a member. Several methods are known for executing binaries originally coded for computers of another, non-native, ISA. In hardware emulation, the computer has hardware specifically directed to executing the non-native instructions. Emulation is typically controlled by a mode bit, an electronic switch: when a non-native binary is to be executed, a special instruction in the emulating computer sets the mode bit and transfers control to the non-native binary. When the non-native program exits, the mode bit is reset to specify that subsequent instructions are to be interpreted by the native ISA. Typically, in an emulator, native an non-native instructions are stored in different address spaces. A second alternative uses a simulator (also sometimes known as an xe2x80x9cinterpreterxe2x80x9d), a program running on the computer that models a computer of the non-native architecture. A simulator sequentially fetches instructions of the non-native binary, determines the meaning of each instruction in turn, and simulates its effect in a software model of the non-native computer. Again, a simulator typically stores native and non-native instructions in distinct address spaces. (The terms xe2x80x9cemulationxe2x80x9d and xe2x80x9csimulationxe2x80x9d are not as uniformly applied throughout the industry as might be suggested by the definitions implied here.) In a third alternative, binary translation, a translator program takes the non-native binary (either a whole program or a program fragment) as input, and processes it to produce as output a corresponding binary in the native instruction set (a xe2x80x9cnative binaryxe2x80x9d) that runs directly on the computer.
Typically, an emulator is found in a newer computer for emulation of an older computer architecture from the same manufacturer, as a transition aid to customers. Simulators are provided for the same purpose, and also by independent software vendors for, use by customers who simply want access to software that is only available in binary form for a machine that the customer does not own. By whatever technique, non-native execution is slower than native execution, and a non-native program has access to only a portion of the resources available to a native program.
Known methods of profiling the behavior of a computer or of a computer program include the following. In one known profiling method, the address range occupied by a program is divided into a number of ranges, and a timer goes off from time to time. A software profile analyzer figures out the address at which the program was executing, and increments a counter corresponding to the range that embraces the address. After a time, the counters will indicate that some ranges are executed a great deal, and some are barely executed at all. In another known profiling method, counters are generated into the binary text of a program by the compiler. These compiler-generated counters may count the number of times a given region is executed, or may count the number of times a given execution point is passed or a given branch is taken.
In general, in a first aspect, the invention features a computer with an instruction processor designed to execute instructions of first and second instruction sets, a memory for storage of a program, a table of entries corresponding to the pages, a switch, a transition handler, and a history record. The memory is divided into pages for management by a virtual memory manager. The program is coded in instructions of the first and second instruction sets and uses first and second data storage conventions. The switch is responsive to a first flag value stored in each table entry, and controls the instruction processor to interpret instructions under, alternately, the first or second instruction set as directed by the first flag value of the table entry corresponding to an instruction""s memory page. The transition handler is designed to recognize when program execution has transferred from a page of instructions using the first data storage convention to a page of instructions using the second data storage convention, as indicated by second flag values stored in table entries corresponding to the respective pages, and in response to the recognition, to adjust a data storage configuration of the computer from the first storage convention to the second data storage convention. The history record is designed to provide to the transition handler a record of a classification of a recently-executed instruction.
In a second aspect, the invention features a method, and a computer for performance of the method. Instruction data are fetched from first and second regions of a single address space of the memory of a computer. The instructions of the first and second regions are coded for execution by computer of first and second architectures or following first and; second data storage conventions, respectively. The memory regions have associated first and second indicator elements, the indicator elements each having a value indicating the architecture or data storage convention under which instructions from the associated region are to be executed. When execution of the instruction data flows from the first region to the second, the computer is adapted for execution in the second architecture or convention.
In a third aspect, the invention features a method, and a computer for performance of the method. Instructions are stored in pages of a computer memory managed by a virtual memory manager. The instruction data of the pages are coded for execution by, respectively, computers of two different architectures and/or under two different execution conventions. In association with pages of the memory are stored corresponding indicator elements indicating the architecture or convention in which the instructions of the pages are to be executed. Instructions from the pages are executed in a common processor, the processor designed, responsive to the page indicator elements, to execute instructions in the architecture or under the convention indicated by the indicator element corresponding to the instruction""s page.
In a fourth aspect, the invention features a microprocessor chip An instruction unit of the chip is configured to fetch instructions from a memory managed by the virtual memory manager, and configured to execute instructions coded for first and second different computer architectures or coded to implement first and second different data storage conventions. The microprocessor chip is designed (a) to retrieve indicator elements stored in association with respective pages of the memory, each indicator element indicating the architecture or convention in which the instructions of the page are to be executed, and (b) to recognize when instruction execution has flowed from a page of the first architecture or convention to a page of the second, as indicted by the respective associated indicator elements, and (c) to alter a processing mode of the instruction unit or a storage content of the memory to effect execution of instructions in accord with the indicator element associated with the page of the second architecture or convention.
In a fifth aspect, the invention features a method, and a microprocessor capable of performing the method. A section of computer object code is executed twice, without modification of the code section between the two executions. The code section materializes a destination address into a register and is architecturally defined to directly transfer control indirectly through the register to the destination address. The two executions materialize two different destination addresses, and the code at the two destinations is coded in two different instruction sets.
In a sixth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for the performance of the method. Control-flow instructions of the computer""s instruction set are classified into a plurality of classes. During execution of a program on the computer, as part of the execution of instructions of the instruction set, a record is updated to record the class of the classified control-flow instruction most recently executed.
In a seventh aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for the performance of the method. A control-transfer instruction is executed that transfers control from a source execution context to a destination instruction for execution in a destination execution context. Before executing the destination instruction, the storage context of the computer is adjusted to reestablish under the destination execution context the logical context of the computer as interpreted under the source execution context. The reconfiguring is determined, at least in part, by a classification of the control-transfer instruction.
In general, in an eighth aspect, the invention features a method of operating a computer. Concurrent execution threads are scheduled by a pre-existing thread scheduler, of a computer. Each thread has an associated context, the association between a thread and a set of computer resources of the context being maintained by the thread scheduler. Without modifying the thread scheduler, an association is maintained between one of the threads and an extended context of the thread through a context change induced by the thread scheduler, the extended context including resources of the computer beyond those resources whose association with the thread is maintained by the thread scheduler.
In a ninth aspect, the invention features a method of operating a computer. An entry exception is established, to be raised on each entry to an operating system of a computer at a specified entry point or on a specified condition. A resumption exception is established, to be raised on each resumption from the operating system following on a specified entry. On detecting a specified entry to the operating system from an interrupted process of the computer, the entry exception is raised and serviced. The resumption exception is raised and serviced, and control is returned to the interrupted process.
In a tenth aspect, the invention features a method of operating a computer. Without modifying an operating system of the computer, an entry handler is established for execution at a specified entry point or on a specified entry condition to the operating system:. The entry handler is programmed to save a context of an interrupted thread and to modify the thread context before delivering the modified context to the operating system. Without modifying the operating system, an exit handler is established for execution on resumption from the operating system following an entry through the entry handler. The exit handler is programmed to restore the context saved by a corresponding execution of the entry handler.
In an eleventh aspect, the invention features a method of operating a computer. During invocation of a service routine of a computer, a linkage return address passed, the return address being deliberately chosen so that an attempt to execute an instruction from the return address on return from the service routine will cause an exception to program execution. On return from the service routine, the chosen exception is raised. After servicing the exception, control is returned to a caller of the service routine.
Particular embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The regions may be pages managed by a virtual memory manager. The indications may be stored in a virtual address translation entry, in a table whose entries are associated with corresponding virtual pages, in a table whose entries are associated with corresponding physical page frames, in entries of a translation look-aside buffer, or in lines of an instruction cache. The code at the first destination may receive floating-point arguments and return floating-point return values using a register-based calling convention, while the code at the second destination receives floating-point arguments using a memory-based stack calling convention, and returns floating-point values using a register indicated by a top-of-stack pointer.
The two architectures may be two instruction set architectures, and the instruction execution hardware of the computer may be controlled to interpret the instructions according to the two instruction set architectures according to the indications. A mode of execution of the instructions may be changed without further intervention when execution flows from the first region to the second, or the mode may be changed by an exception handler when the computer takes an exception when execution flows from the first region to the second. One of the regions may store an off-the-shelf operating system binary coded in an instruction set non-native to the computer.
The two conventions may be first and second calling conventions, and the computer may recognize when program execution has transferred from a region using the first calling convention to a region using the second calling convention, and in response to the recognition, the data storage configuration of the computer will be adjusted from the first calling convention to the second. One of the two calling conventions may be a register-based calling convention, and the other calling convention may be a memory stack-based calling convention. There may be a defined mapping between resources of the first architecture and resources of the second, the mapping assigning corresponding resources of the two architectures to a common physical resource of a computer when the resources serve analogous functions in the calling conventions of the two architectures. The configuration adjustment may include altering a bit representation of a datum from a first representation to a second representation, the alteration of representation being chosen to preserve the meaning of the datum across the change in execution convention. A rule for copying data from the first location to the second may be determined, at least in part, by a classification of the instruction that transferred execution to the second region, and/or by examining a descriptor associated with the location of execution before the recognized execution transfer.
A first class of instructions may include instructions to transfer control between subprograms associated with arguments passed according to a calling convention, and a second class of instructions may include branch instructions whose arguments, if any, are not passed according to the calling convention. One of the execution contexts may be a register-based calling convention, and the other execution context may be a memory stack-based calling convention. The rearrangement may reflect analogous execution contexts under the two data storage conventions, the rearranging process being determined, at least in part, by the instruction classification record. In some of the control-flow instructions, the classification may be encoded in an immediate field of instructions, the immediate field having no effect on the execution of the instruction in which it is encoded, except to update the class record. In some of the control-flow instructions, the classification may be statically determined by the opcode of the instructions. In some of the control-flow instructions, the classification may be dynamically determined with reference to a state of processor registers and/or general registers of the computer. In some of the control-flow instructions, the classification may be dynamically determined based on a full/empty status of a register indicated by a top-of-stack pointer, the register holding a function result value. The rearranging may be performed by an exception handler, the handler being selected by an exception vector based at least in part on the source data storage convention, the destination data storage convention, and the instruction classification record. Instructions of the instruction set may be classified as members of a don""t-care class, so that when an instruction of the don""t-care class is executed, the record is left undisturbed to indicate the class of the classified instruction most recently executed. The destination instruction may be an entry point to an off-the-shelf binary for an operating system coded in an instruction set non-native to the computer.
The operating system may be an operating system for a computer architecture other than the architecture native to the computer. The computer may additionally execute an operating system native to the computer, and each exception may be classified for handling by one of the two operating systems. A linkage return address for resumption of the thread may be modified to include information used to maintain the association. At least some of the modified registers may be overwritten by a timestamp. The entry exception handler may alter at least half of the data registers of the portion of a process context maintained in association with the process by the operating system before delivering the process to the operating system, a validation stamp being redundantly stored in at least one of the registers, and wherein at least some of the modified registers are overwritten by a value indicating the storage location in which at least the portion of the thread context is saved before the modifying. The operating system and the interrupted thread may execute in different instruction set architectures of the computer. During servicing the entry exception, a portion of the context of the computer may be saved, and the context of an interrupted thread may be altered before delivering the interrupted thread and its corresponding context to the operating system. When the thread scheduler and the thread execute in different execution modes of the computer, the steps to maintain the association between the thread and the context may be automatically invoked on a transition from the thread execution mode to the thread scheduler execution mode. The thread context may be saved in a storage location allocated from a pool of storage locations managed by a queuing discipline in which empty storage locations in which a context is to be saved are allocated from the head of the queue, recently-emptied storage locations for reuse are enqueued at the head of the queue, and full storage locations to be saved are queued at the tail of the queue. A calling convention for the thread execution mode may require the setting of a register to a value that specifies actions to be taken to convert operands from one form to another to conform to the thread scheduler execution mode. Delivery of an interrupt may be deferred by a time sufficient to allow the thread to reach a checkpoint, or execution of the thread may be rolled back to a checkpoint, the checkpoints being points in the execution of the thread where the amount; of extended context, being the resources of the thread beyond those whose resource association with the thread is maintained by the thread scheduler, is reduced. The linkage return address may be selected to point to a memory page having a memory attribute that raises the chosen exception on at attempt to execute an instruction from the page. The service routine may be an interrupt service routine of an operating system for a computer architecture other than the architecture native to the computer, the service routine may be invoked by an asynchronous interrupt, and the caller may be coded in the instruction set native to the architecture.
In general, in a twelfth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer. A computer program executes in a logical address space of a computer, with an address translation circuit translating address references generated by the program from the program""s logical address space to the computer""s physical address space. Profile information is recorded that records physical memory addresses referenced during an execution interval of the program.
In general, in a thirteenth aspect, a program is executed on a computer, the program referring to memory by virtual address. Concurrently with the execution of the program, profile information is recorded describing memory references made by the program, the profile information recording physical addresses of the profiled memory references.
In general, in a fourteenth aspect, the invention features a computer with an instruction pipeline, a memory access unit, an address translation circuit, and profile circuitry. The instruction pipeline and memory access unit are configured to execute instructions in a logical address space of a memory of the computer. The address translation circuit translates address references generated by the program from the program""s logical address space to the computer""s physical address space. The profile circuitry is cooperatively interconnected with the instruction pipeline and is configured to detect, without compiler assistance for execution profiling, occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline, and cooperatively interconnected with the memory access unit to record profile information describing physical memory addresses referenced during an execution interval of the program.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The recorded physical memory references may include addresses of binary instructions referenced by an instruction pointer, and at least one of the recorded instruction references may record the event of a sequential execution flow across a page boundary in the address space. The recorded execution flow across a page boundary may occur within a single instruction. The recorded execution flow across a page boundary may occur between two instructions that are sequentially adjacent in the logical address space. At least one of the recorded instruction references may be a divergence of control flow consequent to an external interrupt. At least one of the recorded instruction references may indicate the address of the last byte of an instruction executed by the computer during the profiled execution interval. The recorded profile information may record a processor mode that determines the meaning of binary instructions of the comnputer. The recorded profile information may record a data-dependent change to a full/empty mask for registers of the computer. The instruction pipeline may be configured to execute instructions of two instruction sets, a native instruction set providing access to substantially all of the resources of the computer, and a non-native instruction set providing access to a subset of the resources of the computer. The instruction pipeline and profile circuitry may be further configured to effect recording of profile information describing an interval of the execution of an operating system coded in the non-native instruction set.
In general, in a fifteenth aspect, the invention features a method. A program is executed on a computer. Profile information is recorded concerning the execution of the program, the profile information recording of the address of the last byte of at least one instruction executed by the computer during a profiled interval of the execution.
In general, in a sixteenth aspect the invention features a method. A program is executed on a computer, without the program having been compiled for profiled execution, the program being coded in an instruction set in which an interpretation of an instruction depends on a processor mode not expressed in the binary representation of the instruction. Profile information is recorded describing an interval of the program""s execution and processor mode during the profiled interval of the program, the profile information being efficiently tailored to annotate the profiled binary code with sufficient processor mode information to resolve mode-dependency in the binary coding.
In general, in an seventeenth aspect the invention features a computer with an instruction pipeline and profile circuitry. The instruction pipeline is configured to execute instructions of the computer. The profile circuitry is configured to detect and record, without compiler assistance for execution profiling, profile information describing a sequence of events occurring in the instruction pipeline, the sequence including every event occurring during a profiled execution interval that matches time-independent selection criteria of events to be profiled, the recording continuing until a predetermined stop condition is reached, and is configured to detect the occurrence of a predetermined condition to commence the profiled execution interval after a non-profiled interval of execution.
In general, in a eighteenth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer with circuitry configured for performance of the method. During a profiled interval of an execution of a program on a computer, profile information is recorded describing the execution, without the program having been compiled for profiled execution, the program being coded in an instruction set in which an interpretation of an instruction depends on a processor mode not expressed in the binary representation of the instruction, the recorded profile information describing at least all events occurring during the profiled execution interval of the two classes: (1) a divergence of execution from sequential execution; and (2) a processor mode change that is not inferable from the opcode of the instruction that induces the processor mode change taken together with a processor mode before the mode change instruction. The profile information further identifies each distinct physical page of instruction text executed during the execution interval.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The profiled execution interval is commenced at the expiration of a timer, the recorded profile describing a sequence of events including every event that matches time-independent selection criteria of events to be profiled, the recording continuing until a predetermined stop condition is reached. A profile entry is recorded for later analysis noting the source and destination of a control flow event in which control flow of the program execution diverges from sequential execution. The recorded profile information is efficiently tailored to identify all bytes of object code executed during the profiled execution interval, without reference to the binary code of the program. A profile entry describing a single profileable event explicitly describes a page offset of the location of the event, and inherits a page number of the location of the event from the immediately preceding profile entry. Profile information records a sequence of events of the program, the sequence including every event during the profiled execution interval that matches time-independent criteria of profileable events to be profiled. The recorded profile information indicates ranges of instruction binary text executed by the computer during a profiled interval of the execution, the ranges of executed text being recorded as low and high boundaries of the respective ranges. The recorded high boundaries record the last byte, or the first byte of the last instruction, of the range. The captured profile information comprises subunits of two kinds, a first subunit kind describing an instruction interpretation mode at an instruction boundary, and a second subunit kind describing a transition between processor modes. During a non-profiled interval of the program execution, no profile information is recorded in response to the occurrence of profileable events matching predefined selection criteria for profileable events. The profile circuitry is designed to record a timestamp describing a time of the recorded events. The profile circuitry is designed to record an event code describing the class of each profileable event recorded. A number of bits used to record the event code is less than log2 of the number of distinguished event classes.
In general, in a nineteenth aspect, the invention features a method. While executing a program on a computer, the occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline is detected, and the instruction pipeline is directed to record profile information describing the profileable events essentially concurrently with the occurrence of the profileable events, the detecting and recording occurring under control of hardware of the computer without software intervention.
In general, in a twentieth aspect, the invention features a computer that includes an instruction pipeline and profile circuitry. The instruction pipeline includes an arithmetic unit and is configured to execute instructions received from a memory of the computer:and the profile circuitry. The profile circuitry is common hardware control with the instruction pipeline. The profile circuitry and instruction pipeline are cooperatively interconnected to detect the occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline, the profile circuitry operable without software intervention to effect recording of profile information describing the profileable events essentially concurrently with the occurrence of the profileable events.
In general, in a twenty-first aspect, the invention features first and second CPU""s. The first CPU is configured to execute a program and generate profile data describing the execution of the program. The second CPU is configured to analyze the generated profile data, while the execution and profile data generation continue on the first CPU, and to control the execution of the program on the first CPU based at least in part on the analysis of the collected profile data.
In general, in a twenty-second aspect, the invention features a method. While executing a program on a computer, the computer using registers of a general register file for storage of instruction results, the occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline is detected. Profile information is recorded describing the profileable events into the general register file as the profileable events occur, without first capturing the information into a main memory of the computer.
In general, in a twenty-third aspect, the invention features a computer that includes a general register file of registers, an instruction pipeline and profile circuitry. The instruction pipeline includes an arithmetic unit and is configured to execute instructions fetched from a memory cache of the computer, and is in data communication with the registers for the general register file for storage of instruction results. The profile circuitry is operatively interconnected with the instruction pipeline and is configured to detect the occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline, and to capture information describing the profileable events into the general register file as the profileable events occur, without first capturing the information into a main memory of the computer.
In general, in a twenty-fourth aspect, the invention features a computer. The instruction pipeline is configured to execute instructions of the computer. The profile circuitry is implemented in the computer hardware, and is configured to detect, without compiler assistance for execution profiling, the occurrence of profileable events occurring in the instruction pipeline, and to direct recording of profile information describing the profileable events occurring during an execution interval of the program. Profile control bits implemented in the computer hardware have values that control a resolution of the operation of the profile circuitry. A binary translator is configured to translate programs coded in a first instruction set architecture into instructions of a second instruction set architecture. A profile analyzer is configured to analyze the recorded profile information, and to set the profile control bits to values to improve the operation of the binary translator.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. At least a portion of the recording is performed by instructions speculatively introduced into the instruction pipeline. The profile circuitry is interconnected with the instruction pipeline to direct the recording by injection of an instruction into the pipeline, the instruction controlling the pipeline to cause the profileable event to be materialized in an architecturally-visible storage register of the computer. An instruction of the computer, having a primary effect on the execution the computer not related to profiling, has an immediate field for an event code encoding the nature of a profiled event and to be recorded in the profile information, the immediate field having no effect on computer execution other than to determine the event code of the profiled event. Instances of the instruction have an event code that leaves intact an event code previously determined by other event monitoring circuitry of the computer. The profiled information includes descriptions of events whose event codes were classified by instruction execution hardware, without any explicit immediate value being recorded in software. The instruction pipeline and profile circuitry are operatively interconnected to effect injection of multiple instructions into the instruction pipeline by the profile circuitry on the occurrence of a single profileable event. The instruction pipeline and profile circuitry are operatively interconnected to effect speculative injection of the instruction into the instruction pipeline by the profile circuitry. A register pointer of the computer indicates a general register into which to record the profile information, and an incrementer is configured to increment the value of the register pointer to indicate a next general register into which to record next profile information, the incrementing occurring without software intervention. A limit detector is operatively interconnected with the register pointer to detect when a range of registers available for collecting profile information is exhausted, and a store unit is operatively interconnected with the limit detector of effect storing the profile information from the general registers to the main memory of the computer when exhaustion is detected. The profile circuitry comprises a plurality of storage registers arranged in a plurality of pipeline stages, information recorded in a given pipeline stage being subject to modification as a corresponding machine instruction progresses through the instruction pipeline. When an instruction fetch of an instruction causes a miss in a translation look aside buffer (TLB), the fetch of the instruction triggering a profileable event, the TLB miss is serviced, and the corrected state of the TLB is reflected in the profile information recorded for the profileable instruction. The profile control bits include a timer interval value specifying a frequency at which the profile circuitry is to monitor the instruction pipeline for profileable events. The profile circuitry comprises a plurality of storage registers arranged in a plurality of pipeline stages, information recorded in a given pipeline stage is subject to modification as a corresponding machine instruction progresses through the instruction pipeline.
In general, in a twenty-fifth aspect, the invention features a computer with instruction pipeline circuitry designed to effect interpretation of computer instructions under two instruction set architectures alternately. Pipeline control circuitry is cooperatively designed with the instruction pipeline circuitry to initiate, without software intervention, when about to execute a program region coded in a lower-performance one of the instruction set architectures, a query whether a program region coded in a higher-performance one of the instruction set architectures exists, the higher-performance region being logically equivalent to the lower-performance program region. Circuitry and/or software is designed to transfer execution control to the higher-performance region, without a transfer-of-control instruction to the higher-performance region being coded in the lower-performance instruction set.
In general, in a twenty-sixth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. At least a selected portion of a computer program is translated from a first binary representation to a second binary representation. During execution of the first binary representation of the program on a computer, it is recognized that execution has entered the selected portion, the recognizing being initiated by basic instruction execution of the computer, with neither a query nor a transfer of control to the second binary representation being coded into the first binary representation. In response to the recognition, control is transferred to the translation in the second representation.
In general, in a twenty-seventh aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. As part of executing an instruction on a computer, it is recognized that an alternate coding of the instruction exists, the recognizing being initiated without executing a transfer of control to the alternate coding or query instruction to trigger the recognizing. When an alternate coding exists, the execution of the instruction is aborted, and control is transferred to the alternate coding.
In general, in a twenty-eighth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. During execution of a program on instruction pipeline circuitry of a computer, a determination is initiated of whether to transfer control from a first instruction stream in execution by the instruction pipeline circuitry to a second instruction stream, without a query or transfer of control to the second instruction stream being coded into the first instruction stream. Execution of the first instruction stream is established after execution of the second instruction stream, execution of the first instruction stream being reestablished at a point downstream from the point at which control was seized, in a context logically equivalent to that which would have prevailed had the code of the first instruction stream been allowed to proceed.
In general, in a twenty-ninth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. Execution of a computer program is initiated, using a first binary image of the program. During the execution of the first image, control is transferred to a second image coding the same program in a different instruction set.
In general, in a thirtieth aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. As part of executing an instruction on a computer, a heuristic, approximately-correct recognition that an alternate coding of the instruction exists is evaluated, the process for recognizing being statistically triggered. If the alternate coding exists, execution of the instruction is aborted, and control is transferred to the alternate coding.
In general, in a thirty-first aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. A microprocessor chip has instruction pipeline circuitry, lookup circuitry, a mask, and pipeline control circuitry. The lookup circuitry is designed to fetch an entry from a lookup structure as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, each entry of the lookup structure being associated with a corresponding address range of a memory of the computer. The mask has a value set at least in part by a timer. The pipeline control circuitry is designed to control processing of instructions by the instruction pipeline circuitry as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, depending, at least in part, on the value of the entry corresponding to the address range in which lies an instruction processed by the instruction pipeline circuitry, and the current value of the mask.
In general, in a thirty-second aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. The microprocessor chip has instruction pipeline circuitry; instruction classification circuitry responsive to execution of instructions executed by the instruction pipeline circuitry to classify the executed instructions into a small number of classes and record a classification code value; lookup circuitry designed to fetch an entry from a lookup structure as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, each entry of the lookup structure being associated with a corresponding address range of a memory of the computer; and pipeline control circuitry designed to control processing of instructions by the instruction pipeline circuitry as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, depending, at least in part, on the value of the entry corresponding to the address range in which the instruction address lies, and the recorded classification code.
In general, in a thirty-third aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. The microprocessor chip includes instruction pipeline circuitry; an on-chip table, each entry of the on-chip table corresponding to a respective class of event occurring the in the computer, and designed to hold an approximate evaluation of a portion of the computer machine state for control of the circuitry; and pipeline control circuitry cooperatively designed with the instruction pipeline circuitry to control processing of instructions by the instruction pipeline circuitry as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, based on consultation of the on-chip table.
In general, in a thirty-fourth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. The microprocessor chip includes instruction pipeline circuitry; an on-chip table, each entry of the on-chip table corresponding to a class of event occurring the in the computer and designed to control consultation of an off-chip table in a memory of the computer when an event of the class occurs; pipeline control circuitry cooperatively designed with the instruction pipeline circuitry to consult the on-chip table as part of the basic instruction processing cycle of the microprocessor, as the classified events occur; and control circuitry and/or software designed to cooperate with the instruction pipeline circuitry and pipeline control circuitry to affect a manipulation of data or transfer of control defined for the event in the instruction pipeline circuitry based on consultation of the off-chip table after a favorable value is obtained from the on-chip table.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The transfer of execution control to the higher-performance region may be effected by an architecturally-visible alteration of a program counter. The region about to be executed may be entered by a transfer of control instruction. The first image may be coded in an instruction set non-native to the computer, for hardware emulation in the computer. Instructions of the second binary representation may be coded in a different instruction set architecture than instructions of the first binary representation. The second image may have been generated from the first image by a binary translator. The binary translator may have optimized the second image for increased execution speed, while accepting some risk of execution differing from the execution of the non-native program on its native instruction set architecture. A decision on whether to transfer control from the first image to the second may be based on control variables of the computer. The classes of events may be memory references to corresponding respective address ranges of a memory of the computer. The address ranges may correspond to entries in an interrupt vector table. The recognition may be initiated by consulting a content-addressable memory addressed by a program counter address of the instruction to be executed. The content-addressable memory may be a translation lookaside buffer. The off-chip table may be organized as a side table to an address translation page table. The on-chip table may contain a condensed approximation of the off-chip table, loaded from the off-chip table. The lookup structure may be a bit vector. Bits of the entry corresponding to the address range in which the instruction address lies may be AND""ed with corresponding bits of a mask associated with the instruction pipeline circuitry. Error in the approximation of the on-chip table may be induced by a slight time lag relative to the portion of the computer""s machine state whose evaluation is stored therein. The pipeline control circuitry may be designed to control processing of instructions by the instruction pipeline circuitry by evaluating the value of the entry corresponding to the address range in which the instruction address lies and the recorded classification code, and triggering a software evaluation of a content of the memory addressed by the microprocessor chip. The control of instruction processing may include branch destination processing.
In general, in a thirty-fifth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. Instructions are executed on a computer, instruction pipeline circuitry of the computer having first and second modes for processing at least some of the instructions. Execution of two-mode instructions is attempted in the first mode for successive two-mode instructions while the first execution mode is successful. When an unsuccessful execution of a two-mode instruction under the first mode is detected, following two-mode instructions are executed in the second mode.
In general, in a thirty-sixth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. Computer instructions are executed in instruction pipeline circuitry having first and second modes for processing at least some instructions. On expiration of a timer, the instruction pipeline circuitry switches from the first mode to the second, the mode switch persisting for instructions subsequently executed on behalf of a program that was in execution immediately before the timer expiry.
In general, in a thirty-seventh aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. Events of a computer are assigned into event classes. As part of the basic execution cycle of a computer instruction pipeline, without software intervention, a record of responses to events of the class is maintained. As each classified event comes up for execution in the instruction pipeline circuitry, the record is queried to determine the response to the previous attempt of an event of the same class. The response is attempted if and only if the record indicates that the previous attempt succeeded.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The first and second modes may be alternative cache policies, or alternative modes: for performing floating-point arithmetic. Unsuccessful execution may includes correct completion of an instruction at a high cost. The cost metric may be execution time. The cost of an instruction in the first mode may be only ascertainable after completion of the instruction. The instruction pipeline circuitry may be switched back from the second mode to the first, the switch persisting until the next timer expiry. All of the records may be periodically set to indicate that previous attempts of the corresponding events succeeded.
In general, in a thirty-eighth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. As part of the basic instruction cycle of executing an instruction of a non-supervisor mode program executing on a computer, a table is consulted, the table being addressed by the address of instructions executed, for attributes of the instructions. An architecturally-visible data manipulation behavior or control transfer behavior of the instruction is controlled based on the contents of a table entry associated with the instruction.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The different instruction may be coded in an instruction set architecture (ISA) different than the ISA of the executed instruction. The control of architecturally-visible data manipulation behavior may include changing an instruction set architecture under which instructions are interpreted by the computer. Each entry of the table may correspond to a page managed by a virtual memory manager, circuitry for locating a table entry being integrated with virtual memory address translation circuitry of the computer. An interrupt may be triggered on execution of an instruction of a process, synchronously based at least in part on a memory state of the computer and the address of the instruction, the architectural definition of the instruction not calling for an interrupt. Interrupt handler software may be provided to service the interrupt and to return control to an instruction flow of the process other than the instruction flow triggering the interrupt, the returned-to instruction flow for carrying on non-error handling normal processing of the process.
In general, in a thirty-ninth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. A microprocessor chip has instruction pipeline circuitry, address translation circuitry; and a lookup structure. The lookup structure has an entry associated with each corresponding address range translated by the address translation circuitry, the entry describing a likelihood of the existence of an alternate coding of instructions located in the respective corresponding address range.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The entry may be an entry of a translation look-aside buffer. The alternate coding may be coded in an instruction set architecture (ISA) different than the ISA of the instruction located in the address range.
In general, in a fortieth aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. A microprocessor chip has instruction pipeline, circuitry and interrupt circuitry. The interrupt circuitry is cooperatively designed with the instruction pipeline circuitry to trigger an interrupt on execution of an instruction of a process, synchronously based at least in part on a memory state of the computer and the address of the instruction, the architectural definition of the instruction not calling for an interrupt.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. Interrupt handler software may be designed to service the interrupt and to return control to an instruction flow of the process other than the instruction flow triggering the interrupt, the returned-to instruction flow for carrying on non-error handling normal processing of the process. The interrupt handler software may be programmed to change an instruction set architecture under which instructions are interpreted by the computer. The instruction text beginning at the returned-to instruction may be logically equivalent to the instruction text beginning at the interrupted instruction.
In general, in a forty-first aspect, the invention features a method and a microprocessor chip for performance of the method. As part of executing a stream of instructions, a series of memory loads is issued from a computer CPU to a bus, some directed to well-behaved memory and some directed to non-well-behaved devices in I/O space. A storage of the computer records addresses of instructions of the stream that issued memory loads to the non-well-behaved memory, the storage form of the recording allowing determination of whether the memory load was to well-behaved memory or not-well-behaved memory without resolution of any memory address stored in the recording.
In general, in a forty-second aspect, the invention features a method and a computer for performance of the method. A successful memory reference is issued from a computer CPU to a bus. A storage of the computer records whether a device accessed over the bus by the memory reference is well-behaved memory or not-well-behaved memory. Alternatively, the memory may store a record of a memory read instruction that references a device other than well-behaved memory.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The recording may be a portion of a profile primarily recording program control flow. The recording may be read by a binary translation program, wherein the binary translation program translates the memory load using more conservative assumptions when the recording indicates that the memory load is directed to non-well-behaved memory. References to I/O space may be recorded as being references to non-well-behaved memory. The recording may be slightly in error, the error being induced by a conservative estimate in determining when the memory reference accesses well-behaved memory. The form of the recording may allow determination of whether the memory reference was to well-behaved memory or not-well-behaved memory without resolution of any memory address stored in the recording. The form of the recording may indicates an address of an instruction that issued the memory reference. The memory reference may be a load. The profile monitoring circuitry may be interwoven with the computer CPU. A TLB (translation lookaside buffer) may be designed to hold a determination of whether memory mapped by entries of the TLB is well-behaved or non-well-behaved memory. The profile monitoring circuitry may generate the record into a general purpose register of the computer. The profile monitoring circuitry may be designed to induce a pipeline flush of the computer CPU.
In general, in a forty-third aspect, the invention features a method and computer circuitry for performance of the method. DMA (direct memory access) memory write transactions of a computer are monitored, and an indication of a memory location written by a DMA memory write transaction is recorded, by circuitry operating without being informed of the memory write transaction by the CPU beforehand. The indication is read by the CPU.
In general, in a forty-fourth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. A first process of a computer generates a second representation in a computer memory of information stored in the memory in a first representation. Overwriting of the first representation by a DMA memory write transaction initiated by a second process is detected by the first process, without the second process informing the first process of the DMA memory write transaction, the detecting guaranteed to occur no later than the next access of the second representation following the DMA memory write transaction.
In general, in a forty-fifth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. A computer""s main memory is divided into pages for management by a virtual memory manager. The manager manages the pages using a table stored in the memory. Circuitry records indications of modification to pages of the main memory into a plurality of registers outside the address space of the main memory. The virtual memory management tables do not provide backing store for the modification indications stored in the registers.
In general, in a forty-sixth aspect, the invention features a method and computer circuitry for performance of the method. Modifications to the contents of a main memory of a computer are monitored, and on detection of a modification, an approximation of the address of the modification is written into an address tag of one of a plurality of registers, and a fine indication of the address of the modification is written into a memory cell of a plurality of cells of the register. The fine indication of the address of the modification is provided to a CPU of the computer through a read request from the CPU.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The recorded indication may record only the memory location, and not the datum written to the location. Based at least in part by the value read by the CPU, a cached datum may be erased. Two DMA memory writes near each other in address and time may generate only a single record of a write. The recorded indication of a location in the main memory may indicate a physical address in the memory. A value of each bit of a bit vector may indicate whether a corresponding region in the main memory has been recently modified. Matching circuitry may be provided to match an address of a memory modification to an address of a previously-stored indication of a previous nearby memory modification. The recorded indication of a location in the main memory may be initially recorded in an architecturally-visible location outside the main memory and outside a general register file of the computer. The recorded indication of a location in the main memory may be recorded, at least in part, based on a subdivision of the main memory into regions each consisting of a naturally-aligned block of pages of the memory. The DMA monitoring circuitry being designed to monitor transactions on I/O gateway circuitry between the CPU and the DMA devices. The DMA monitoring circuitry may dismiss a content of the DMA monitoring circuitry as a side-effect of being read. The address of the modification stored in the address tag may be a physical memory address. The vector of memory cells may include a bit vector, a value of each bit of the bit vector designed to indicate whether a corresponding region in the main memory has been recently modified. The address tag may include a content-addressable memory. A one of the plurality of registers may be associated with an address range by writing an address into the address tag of the one register. Later, the one register may be associated with a different address range by writing a different address into the address tag of the one register. A value of each bit of a bit vector may indicate whether a corresponding region in the main memory has been recently modified.
In general, in a forty-seventh aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. As a program is executed in a computer, writes to a protected region of a main memory of the computer are detected, the reporting being performed by monitoring circuitry of the computer. On receiving the report of the detection, a data structure of content corresponding to the content of the protected region to which the write was detected is deleted from the memory.
In general, in a forty-eighth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. Memory read references are generated in a CPU of a computer, the memory references referring to logical addresses. Circuitry and/or software evaluates whether main memory pages of the references are in a protected state. Pages that are unprotected are put into a protected state.
In general, in a forty-ninth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. Memory references are generated by a CPU of a computer, the memory references referring to logical addresses. The translation of logical addresses into a physical addresses evaluates whether the page of the reference is protected against the access. Pages that are protected have their protection modified, without modifying the contents of the page.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The monitoring and detection circuitry may be responsive to memory writes generated by store operations initiated by instructions executed by pipeline circuitry of computer. The evaluation circuitry may be incorporated into address translation circuitry designed to translate logical addresses, generated as part of memory read accesses by a CPU of the computer, into physical addresses. The protection of memory regions may be recorded in a table of entries, each entry corresponding to a page of the main memory. The table entries may be organized in correspondence to physical pages of the main memory. The table entries may constitute a table in main memory distinct from a page table used by a virtual memory manager of the computer. The table of entries may be a translation lookaside buffer. A profiling or monitoring function of the computer may be enabled or disabled for regions of the memory of the computer, based on whether the respective regions are protected or unprotected. An arithmetic result or branch destination of an instruction may be controlled based on whether a region containing the instruction is protection or unprotected. The data structure may be formed by translating a computer program stored in the protected region in a first instruction set architecture into a second instruction set architecture. On receiving the report of the detection, an interrupt may be raised to invoke software, the invoked software affecting the contents of the memory without reference to the contents of the protected region. The memory read reference may be an instruction fetch.
In general, in a fiftieth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. Memory references generated as part of executing a stream of instructions on a computer are evaluated to determined whether an individual memory reference of an instruction references a device having a valid memory address but that cannot be guaranteed to be well-behaved.
In general, in a fifty-first aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. While translating at least a segment of a binary representation of a program from a first instruction set architecture to a second representation in a second instruction set architecture, individual memory loads that are believed to be directed to well-behaved memory are distinguished from memory loads that are believed to be directed to non-well-behaved memory device(s). While executing the second representation, a load is identified that was believed at translation time to be directed to well-behaved memory but that at execution is found to be directed to non-well-behaved memory. The identified memory load is aborted. Based at least in part on the identifying, at least a portion of the translated segment of the program is re-executed in the first instruction set.
In general, in a fifty-second aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. A binary translator translates at least segment of a program from a first representation in a first instruction set architecture to a second representation in a second instruction set architecture, a sequence of side-effects in the second representation differing from a sequence of side-effects in the translated segment of the first representation. Instruction execution circuitry and/or software identifies cases during execution of the second representation in which the difference in sequence of side-effects may have a material effect on the execution of the program. A program state, equivalent to a state that would have occurred in the execution of the first representation, is established. Execution resumes from the established state in an execution mode that reflects the side-effect sequence of the first representation.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. If the reference cannot be guaranteed to be well-behaved, the instruction may be re-executed in an alternative execution mode, or program state may be restored to a prior state. The second representation may be annotated with an indication of the distinction between individual memory loads that are believed to be directed to well-behaved memory from memory loads that are believed to be directed to non-well-behaved memory. The device having a valid memory address may have an address in an I/O space of the computer. Code in a preamble of a program unit embracing the memory-reference instruction may establish a state of the instruction execution circuitry, the instruction execution circuitry designed to raise an exception based on an evaluation of both the state and the evaluation of the reference to the device. An annotation embedded in the instruction may be evaluated to determine whether the reference to the non-well-behaved device is to raise an exception. An evaluation of whether the instruction of the individual side-effect is to raise an exception may occur in circuitry embedded in an address translation circuitry of the computer. An exception may be raised, based on an evaluation of both a segment descriptor and the evaluation of the side-effect. An annotation encoded in a segment descriptor may be evaluated to determine whether the reference to the non-well-behaved device is to raise an exception. The segment descriptor may be formed by copying another segment descriptor, and altering the annotation. The formed segment descriptor may copy a variable indicating an assumed sensitivity of the translation to alteration of the sequence of side-effects. The difference of ordering of side-effects may include a reordering of two side-effects relative to each other, an elimination of a side-effect by the translating, or combining two side-effects in the binary translator. The restoring step may be initiated when an exception occurs in the object program. Execution may resume from the restored state, the resumed execution executing a precise side-effect emulation of the reference implementation. A descriptor generated during the translation may be used to restore state to the pre-exception reference state.
In general, in a fifty-third aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. A first interpreter executes a program coded in an instruction set, the first interpreter being less than fully correct. A second, fully-correct interpreter, primarily in hardware, executes instructions of the instruction set. A monitor detects any deviation from fully-correct interpretation by the first interpreter, before any side-effect of the incorrect interpretation is irreversibly committed. When the monitor detects the deviation, execution is rolled back by at least a full instruction to a safe point in the program, and execution is re-initiated in the second interpreter.
In general, in a fifty-forth aspect, the invention features a method and computer for performance of the method. A binary translator translates a source program into an object program, the translated object program having a different execution behavior than the source program. An interrupt handler responds to an interrupt occurring during execution of the object program by establishing a state of the program corresponding to a state that would have occurred during an execution of the source program, and from which execution can continue, and initiates execution of the source program from the established state.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following features. The first interpreter may include a software emulator, and/or a software binary translator. The second interpreter may interpret instructions in an instruction set not native to the computer. The software binary translator may operate concurrently with execution of the program to translate a segment less than the whole of the program. Continuing execution may include rolling back execution of the first interpreter by at least two full instructions. Continuing execution may include rolling back execution of the first interpreter from a state in which a number of distinct suboperations of several instructions have been intermixed by the first interpreter. Continuing execution may include rolling back execution to a checkpoint, or allowing execution to progress forward to a checkpoint in the first interpreter. The detected deviation from fully-correct interpretation may includes detection of the invalidity of a program transformation introduced by the binary translator, or detection of a synchronous execution exception.
Embodiments of the invention may offer one or more of the following advantages.
A program produced for a computer of an old architecture can be executed on a computer of a new architecture. The old binary can be executed without any modification. Old binaries can be mixed with newxe2x80x94for instance, a program coded for an old architecture can call library routines coded in the new instruction set, or vice-versa. Old libraries and new libraries may be freely mixed. New and old binaries may share the same address space, which improves the ability of new and old binaries to share common data. Alternatively, an old binary can be run in a protected separate address space on a new computer, without sharing any data with any new binary. A caller need not be aware of the ISA in which the callee is coded, avoiding the burden of explicitly saving and restoring context. The invention reduces software complexity: software need not make explicit provision for all possible entries and exits from all possible modes and mixtures of binaries. The pipelines for processing old instructions and new instructions can share pieces of the implementation, reducing the cost of supporting two instruction sets. A new computer can fully model an older computer, with no reliance on any software convention that may be imposed by any particular software product, allowing the new computer to run any program for the old computer, including varying off-the-shelf operating systems. Because translated target code is tracked in association with the physical pages of the source code, even if the physical pages are mapped at different points in the virtual address spaces, a single translation will be reused for all processes. This is particularly advantageous in the case of shared libraries.
The profile data may be used in a xe2x80x9chot spotxe2x80x9d detector, that identifies portions of the program as frequently executed. Those frequently-executed portions can then be altered, either by a programmer or by software, to run more quickly. The profile data may be used by a binary translator to resolve ambiguities in the binary coding of instructions. The information generated by the profiler is complete enough that the hot spot detector can be driven off the profile, with no need to refer to the instruction text itself. This reduces cache pollution. Ambiguities in the X86 instruction text (the meaning of a given set of instructions that cannot be inferred from the instruction text, for instance the operand size information from the segment descriptors) are resolved by reference to the profile information. The information collected by the profiler compactly represents the information needed by the hot spot detector and the binary translator, with relatively little overhead, thereby reducing cache pollution. The profiler is integrated into the hardware implementation of the computer, allowing it to run fast, with little delay on a programxe2x80x94the overhead of profiling is only a few percent of execution speed.
Control may be transferred from an unoptimized instruction stream to an optimized instruction stream, without any change to the unoptimized instruction stream. In these cases, the unoptimized instruction stream remains available as a reference for correct execution. The instruction stream may be annotated with information to control a variety of execution conditions.
A profile may be used to determine which program transformation optimizations are safe and correct, and which present a risk of error. Rather than foregoing all opportunities unsafe optimizations or speed-ups, the optimization or speed-up may be attempted, and monitored for actual success or failure. The slower, unoptimized mode of execution can be invoked if the optimization in fact turns out to be unsafe.